A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Manila vs. Paihia for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Manila or Paihia?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Manila and Paihia can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Manila or Paihia?

Manila

A sprawling metropolis that is home to more than 12 million people, Manila is one huge, misunderstood concrete jungle, full of diverse cultures, traffic, pollution, restaurants, shopping malls, noise and nightlife. If you're looking to soak in culture and feel the vibe of a place rather than seeking a city that specifically caters to tourists, Manila is the place to be. Capital of the Philippines, Manila is also the center for education, business, and transportation.

Paihia

Paihia is a town on the North Island of New Zealand in the Bay of Islands region. It is about a three hours north of Auckland by car. For those visiting the Bay of Islands, it is the main town in the area and is located near the town of Russell and Kerikeri. There is a wharf in town where most ships depart from if you are planning on going out to explore the Bay of Islands. Paihia is a very small town with a population of about 1800 people. There is a fair climate all year round with temperatures ranging from sixty to seventy degrees Fahrenheit.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Eco Tours in Philippines, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Philippines, The Best 10-Day Tours in New Zealand, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in New Zealand.


Which place is cheaper, Paihia or Manila?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Manila is $94, while the average daily cost in Paihia is $80. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Manila and Paihia in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Manila $55
    Paihia $33
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Manila $110
    Paihia $66
Compare Hotels in Manila and Paihia

Looking for a hotel in Manila or Paihia? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Manila


Hotels in Paihia


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Manila Hotel Prices and Paihia Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Manila $14
    Paihia $12

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Manila

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Manila:

  • ⭐ Manila International Airport Car Transfer To & From City⭐: $72
  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Manila APT-HTL (MNL) : $30
  • Transfers from Manila, Makati, Taguig and Pasay Hotel to Airport: $50
  • Round-trip Coron Airport Transfer + Town Tour (Shared): $31
  • Puerto Princesa Airport to El Nido Transfer: $25
  • Private Transfer from Manila Airport (MNL) to Manila Cruise Port: $22
  • Private Transfer from Clark Airport (CRK) to Subic Bay Port: $46
  • Private One-way Airport Transfer(Manila Airport To/From Manila): $22
  • Private Departure Airport Transfer in Manila Bay and Makati Area: $23
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Manila: $68
  • Private Arrival Airport Transfer: All Hotels in Ortigas: $41
  • Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Paranaque Private Transfer: $120

Is it cheaper to fly into Manila or Paihia?

Prices for flights to both Paihia and Manila change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Manila $18
    Paihia $28

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Manila

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Manila.

  • Manila Night Market and food tour Experience: $58
  • Makati Street Food Tour Experience: $63
  • ⭐ Manila Street Food Tour in the Downtown, Eat and Drink⭐: $63
  • Manila Food Tour: Explore World's Oldest Chinatown: $65
  • Manila Food Tour: Introduction to Philippine Street Food: $65
  • Food Tour at the World's Oldest Chinatown: $75
  • Manila Chinatown Food Tour Experience with Mari: $81
  • Cultural Dance Show with Dinner in Manila: $120
  • Cultural Dinner and Show in Manila: $145

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paihia

For Paihia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Private Modern Vegetarian Cooking Class with Anna in Northland: $195

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Manila $20
    Paihia $34

Tours and Activities in Manila

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Manila are as follows:

  • Active Taal Volcano Sightseeing & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour (2in1): $135
  • Bataan Death March Memorial Historical Tour : $188
  • Club Crawl and Party Experience at BGC: $72
  • Corregidor daytour Via Manila to Bataan: $298
  • Discover Tagaytay's Countryside: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour : $80
  • Experience Intramuros with Bamboo Bicycle - Ecotours: $37
  • From 4-Day Sagada and Banaue Rice Terraces Tour: $338
  • From Day Tour to Enchanting Hidden Valley: $160
  • From Majestic Pagsanjan Falls Adventure: $160
  • From Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $106
  • From Panoramic Tagaytay Ridge Tour: $150
  • From Taal Volcano Island & Pagsanjan Falls Day Tour: $135

Tours and Activities in Paihia

For Paihia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Bay of Islands 2-Hour Sundowner Evening Sailing Cruise: $48
  • Sundowner Evening Cruise - 2 hour evening sailing cruise with swim stop: $48
  • Bay of Islands 30-minute Adventure Jet Boat Trip: $53
  • Bay of Islands Trike Tour Experience: $53
  • Bay of Islands: Late Afternoon Sailing Cruise: $59
  • Bay of Islands Waterfall Explorer Kayaking Tour: $59
  • Glass Bottom Boat Tour to the Hole in the Rock: $68
  • Parasailing Adventure Over the Bay of Islands: $69
  • Hole in the Rock 1.5-Hour Fast Boat Ocean Adventure: $71
  • Bay of Islands: 4.5 Hour Day Cruise and Island Getaway Tour: $74
  • Paihia/Russell: Hole in the Rock & Bay of Islands Cruise: $74
  • From Scenic Cruise with Roberton Island Stopover: $74

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Manila $9.97
    Paihia $22

Sample the Local Flavors in Paihia

Also in Paihia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Bay of Islands Wine Tour with Lunch: $106
  • Private Tour: Bay of Islands Tour with Wine Tasting: $287
  • Private Shore Excursion: Bay of Islands Tour with Wine Tasting: $287


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Manila and Paihia, we can see that Manila is more expensive. And not only is Paihia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Manila is in Asia and Paihia is in Pacific, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Paihia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Paihia and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Manila would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Manila than you might in Paihia.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Manila Expensive? and Is Paihia Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Manila or Paihia?

Manila has a larger population, and is about 5370 times larger than the population of Paihia. When comparing the sizes of Manila and Paihia, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.